Packet sniffing refers to the collection and analysis of data packets (including contents) as they transit the network.
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The data on internet does not send in one continuous stream. To make the presentation of the Internet as high as possible the data is cut in pieces. Such a segment of data is termed as "a packet". Transferring information on a network means sending "packets" of data. The combination of lots of packet makes one information what we receive on internet. To "observe" the packets we need a special device. This is a particular kind of checking program called as packet sniffer.
A packet sniffer is also known as packet analyzer, network analyzer, protocol analyzer or for fussy types of networks, an Ethernet sniffer or wireless sniffer It is a computer software or computer hardware that can stop and log traffic passing over a digital network. As data brooks flow across the network the sniffer captures each packet and ultimately decodes and examines its content .It is sometimes referred to as a network monitor or network analyzer, and frequently be used by a network administrator to monitor and troubleshoot network traffic. By means of the information detained by the packet sniffer an administrator can identify mistaken packets and use the data to locate bottlenecks and maintain well-organized network data transmission.
A packet sniffer can be measured as a sort of wire valve device. It is equipment that can be plugged into computer networks and overhears something on the network traffic.
Packet sniffers detain binary data going by the network. The packet sniffers decode this data into a human readable form. To make all these process easier for humans another step occur known as protocol analysis. There is a changeable level of the analysis that takes place through packet sniffer; some are simple, just splitting down the "packet" information. Others are more multifarious giving detailed information about what it looks on the packet.
One very simple and important aspect of this is that the sniffer has to be on the same wire on which information is traveling. In short the "inquiring" device that "imprisons" the data has to be on the same wire. The data can then be transmitted to a decoding computer on a different network.
A packet sniffer can only incarcerate packet information within a given subnet. So, it is not possible for a nasty attacker to place a packet sniffer on their home ISP network to capture network traffic from inside the corporate network .To do so the packet sniffer needs to be running on a computer that is inside the business network as well.
